


Running In The Night

by Wecomefromyesterday (neverbee)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 80s AU, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arcades, Enemies, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Heartbreak, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:07:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26037640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverbee/pseuds/Wecomefromyesterday
Summary: A arcadeAU that nobody asked for.Louis didn't understand the definition of beautiful until he saw Harry Styles leaning against his favorite arcade game.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Kudos: 5





	Running In The Night

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first work, so definitely bring me some criticism and notes on how to improve. I don't have a beta so if you're interested I'm happy to work with you. This is a work of fiction! This is not real or necessary realistic of real relationships.

**October 2nd, 1980**

The first time that Louis ever saw the definition of beautiful was when he was fourteen. Fourteen and finally allowed to go to the arcade by himself, and not having his little sisters tagging along.   
It was amazing, that. Going to the arcade alone was a big deal. He felt like a proper adult, well, without the job and everything. The arcade was his favorite place, it was so colorful, loud and consuming. Every game you could imagine that came out that year, 1980, at your fingertips. 

He practically went to the arcade everyday after school, racing downtown to make sure he’d get the first pick of whatever he felt that day. He’d desperately search for coins and did as many chores as he could in order to fund his hobby. His name sat in at least five machines for high scores. He loved the games, loved them more than friends (sometimes). 

His favorite game, though, was one called The Spirit Fighter. It was a radical platformer where you played a silver like figure that passed through realms of purples, oranges, and blues in order to reach your lost body and finally ascend to where ever you go after death. It was a popular enough game three years ago when it came out, but now it normally sat empty and lifeless in the back of the arcade.  
Well, empty and lifeless before the day that Louis saw _him_. 

He was lean, handsomely dressed in a billowy white shirt and wrapped in a leather jacket. His hair was flowing, his jaw chiseled, he was a god. Louis could go on, but basically he was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. 

It was his sexual awakening he’d later realize. This man was everything he had subconsciously wished for and was suddenly granted. 

He’d had frozen in his spot, mouth parted, staring at this stranger he’d never seen before. He must have been older. Louis was only a freshman in high school, everybody looked older, but he would have remembered seeing them before if they had lived in this town. Doncaster wasn’t that big, but he certainly wasn’t any older than 18. 

The mystery boy was leaned against the machine, the screen exploding into a screen of end game and finally he straightened his back and looked over his shoulder at Louis. His lush lips parted and Louis focused so intently on them. Who was he? 

“What the fuck are you looking at?”

  
-

  
**May 26th, 1988**

The van doors closed and blond hair peeked out from the side before a face emerged and Niall was speaking. 

“You sure you want to live with your parents, mate?” He asked. Being 22 and recently graduated meant that Louis was poor and unable to afford an apartment to rent. 

“Yeah, yeah. Mum wants to see me anyways, mate. You know her.” Louis answered, grabbing his bags instead of looking straight at his friend. Louis wasn’t exactly happy to be back in his hometown, but a bit relieved that he’ll get to see his family again. 

“My offer of living with me and Zayn are still on the table, we’re only 15-“

“Zayn hates me,” Louis laughed, cutting him off. Niall had an apartment in the local city with a guy they both were acquainted with. Zayn was quiet, an artist and didn’t like the social scene. A little bit of the opposite of Louis. “and I don’t exactly want to live on a sofa for the rest of my life.”

“He doesn’t hate you.” Niall promised, but he didn’t argue any further. Instead, his hand landed on Louis’ shoulder before pulling him into a tight hug. “Look, at least come for an occasional weekend, maybe a couple weekdays too. You got that beat up junker you left at your mom’s. I’m sure you’ll be able to make it to my place in one piece.” 

The car was a gift from his mother when he turned 18, but was left behind at his mom’s place after it sat uselessly on his campus in Manchester. It was a piece of shit, but Louis’ piece of shit. Manchester seemed so far away now. 

“Alright, but if I become stranded on a road and murdered I will definitely haunt you.” With that, Louis hauled a bag onto his shoulder and grabbed the other two in his hands. All of his life packed into such a small space. 

“Gonna rain, better head off.” With that, Niall finally departed in his equally shitty van. The van reminded him of sweaty summer nights when they camped out at a nearby park drinking cheap beer and of cold nights where he was forced to sleep there because his roommate was fucking somebody too loudly. Great times. 

His entrance into his home was quiet. It was 7 am and the house wasn’t quite awake yet. His home was largely the same, messy from the various kids running around but not dirty. It was homey and smelled of sweet memories. His mother entered from the kitchen into the hallway. 

“My boy,” She exclaimed, grabbing him into a hug. “Back from Uni, my little graduate, how was the drive back?” She questioned, grabbing his bags from his hands before he could protest.  
  
“Not great, but I’m home and jobless.” Louis joked, but it felt too on the nose. He had studied drama in hopes of becoming a teacher, but that dream was suddenly far away when he realized that applying for jobs would take time and patience. 

“Soon, love.” His mother answered instead, “Take this time to enjoy your little bit of childhood left!” she added. 

“Mum, I’m 22, hardly a child.” He scoffed. “With that invitation though, I will absolutely reek havoc on the house.” He laughed until his mother slapped his shoulder but the smile on her lips was not fooling anybody. 

“The arcade is still open,” His mother teased. Louis teased at the reminder of his childhood’s love. The arcade, how could he forget about that? “I saved some coins up just for you.” She led him upstairs to the familiar bedroom that he once called his permanent home. The inside looked so similar, yet foreign.

“Not necessary, mum. Not really my thing anymore.” Louis mumbled, his cheeks slightly reddening. The arcade was supposed to be a nostalgia memory in his head, something he had moved on from, but it wasn’t quite like that. 

“Non-sense, the girls love going there anyways.” His mother put down the bags she snagged from Louis and smoothed over the bed’s blankets. 

“Ah, I’m only here to be your personal babysitter, I see how it is.” The nervousness in his voice was only a little detectable. The arcade wasn’t where he wanted to be. “Why are the girls obsessed anyways, when did they start liking video games?” 

“Probably right about the time that classmate of your, you remember him, started working there. Harry Styles, you always blushed when he was around.” His mother teased, but her words just rocked around in his head. Harry Styles. Yes, that name he had tried to forget about 6 years ago when that bastard broke his heart. That Harry Styles. 

“Ah, working at the arcade? Never would have guessed.” Louis admitted, a bit stunned. Harry Styles had told everybody that was in in his vicinity that he was getting out of this town and making it big in London. The last image Louis even remembered was one of Harry Styles walking away to get in his friend’s car, guitar slung across his back. He didn’t even look back. Fuck him. 

“Yeah, fine lad, he is.” She was suddenly across the room and leaning up against the doorframe, proof that Louis’ mind had wondered for just a moment. “He once asked me about you.” She softly said. 

“I hope you told him to burn in hell.” Louis immediately responded, almost surprised at the venom in his tone. It had been so long ago, he couldn’t still be so bitter about a first love. Plenty of people had sour teen romances. 

“Louis, he was your best friend.” His mother’s tone was so gentle. Ah, yes. Louis hadn’t even told his mother the honest truth, that Harry hadn’t been just a friend, but a lover. A first love. A lost love. A heartbreak. 

“Not anymore.” Louis firmly added, staring at the bed. He did not want to look at his mother’s imploring eyes. Not this time. Not about this. “Just because he came crawling back to Doncaster means that I forgive him.” 

“Loubear.” She cooed, but that was the end of the conversation.   
-

**May 28th, 1988**

The first time Louis sees Harry the first time in 6 years is by accident. Louis had been tasked with getting milk. His life consisted of very boring errands and desperately waiting for a call for a interview. The grocery store had been relatively empty. Louis stared at the contents of the dairy in front of him. Would his mother prefer 1% or 2%? Or perhaps even whole- 

“Louis?” He was shocked out of his thoughts and into hell. That voice, that deep, beautiful but venomous voice. It had been years since he had heard that voice, yearned for it. 

When Louis turned around, he was not shocked that he found Harry to be just as beautiful as he remembered, maybe even more so. Gone was the boy-ish features that lingered around him and replaced with even more charming angles and maturity. Louis could write poetry about this face, but he won’t. Because Harry Styles was a right bastard. 

“It’s good to see you.” Harry added, apparently not deterred by Louis’ silence. Louis felt like he had seen the sun again for the first time, his lips parted in panic- “You look like the first time I ever saw you in the arcade. Full wide eyes and everything.” Harry chuckled, but his posture was tense. Clearly Louis wasn’t the only one caught off guard. “I didn’t know you were back.” 

“Yeah. Graduated and decided to return until I locked down a job.” Louis finally answered, but he still felt so awkward. It’s like he was transported back to when he was fourteen and just getting used to the idea of Harry Styles. This wasn’t fair. 

“Ah, you look good.” Harry nodded and finally Louis was able to really look at Harry. He was still Harry, of course, but Louis could spot the bags under his eyes, the paleness of his skin and dullness of his eyes. Harry was beautiful, still, but not the shining star Louis always had in his head. “Sorry, I’m so surprised. I guess I just assumed…” Harry left the sentence hanging. 

“That I wouldn’t come back?” Louis snapped back. “This is my town too, you know. Actually more of my town as a I grew up here. Surprised to see you too.”

“Oh, ugh.” Harry grappled, seemingly been pushed off balance. “I didn’t mean that- I guess what I was trying to say is that I just expected that you would move to the big city. You always talked about London and such.” Harry scratched at the back of his neck. His hair was longer. It sat just under his collarbones. It was a change against the princely hair he spotted just a few years ago.

“Yeah, okay.” Louis nodded, uncertain on if he wanted to run or continue this conversation. “But you-“

“I am here too.” Harry nodded. “Things changed, I won’t lie. But I just think I should start with an apology.” 

The word apology caught Louis off guard. Harry? Being sorry about walking away and breaking Louis’ heart? Somehow that seemed absurd. 

“Why didn’t you say that before? Perhaps leave a message? Send a letter? Show up on my doorstep about 5 and 3 quarter years ago?” Louis’ mouth wouldn’t stop blurting things out. This was not appropriate talk for a bloody grocery store. 

“I-Yeah.” Harry stopped, but kept nodding his head. “I deserve that. I don’t think now is the right time to start this conversation, but we should have one.” He settled, echoing Louis’ sentiments.   
“Sure.” Louis nodded his head furiously. “Let’s have a talk about what a shit head you are.”

Strangely enough, Harry laughed. His dimples popped out and Louis was reminded about how beautiful his smile really was. It was like art. The type of art you admired and kept coming back to because it held such a genuineness you craved. 

“Yea, yea.” Harry agreed, but his smile finally settled into one that was a resemblance of unfulfillment. “Baby, I-“

“Don’t.” The answer came so automatically that he hadn’t even realized it had slipped from his mouth. Harry no longer had the right the call him pet names. 

“Sorry.” Harry immediately responded. He played with the rings on his hands. Perhaps he felt as awkward as Louis felt. “I am so happy to see you, but I don’t blame you for hating every second I’m in your presence.” 

The dairy was desolate, but still somehow so confined. It was like the freezers were closing in on him and there was no escape. No escape from his past. No escape from Harry.

“I heard you work at the arcade.” Louis settles on instead. 

“I do, I feel like…That’s where I’m meant to be for now.” The sadness that reeks from Harry’s presence is so obvious it’s heart-breaking. “I guess I just wanted something familiar.” 

“I know the feeling.” Louis admitted. He itched to touch Harry. Even after all this time. Was his hair still silky? Did his skin still smell of roses and musk? He wanted to know. 

“I’d like to see you privately. I owe you some answers.” Harry’s hands tightened around the basket he held. Vegetables. What an adult.  
  
“I’d like that.” Louis nodded. In theory, this was a terrible idea. This would possibly result in another crush and obsession over Harry Styles and his stupid curls. 

Harry dropped his basket and pulled out a pen from thin air. Louis gave his hand and in return he received a number. Harry’s number. 

“Please call me when you’re ready. Or else, you’ll see me around the arcade. I promise not to acknowledge past being an acquaintance if that’s what you want.” Harry promised. He seemed so…  
Adult. Harry seemed so much more wise and thoughtful. Louis knew Harry was 24 now, and maturity should have been granted, but the inherent selfishness seemed to be missing too. It was weird. It was unexpected. 

“Okay. Thank you.” Louis breathed once Harry’s pen was done scraping across the sensitive skin of his hand. It was unfair how much Harry affected him. 

“Good seeing you.” Harry nodded his head for about the 10th time. He leaned forward and hesitated before patting his shoulder. His exit was not as stealthy as his entrance. Louis was left in the dairy aisle, confused, angry, aroused and fulfilled.


End file.
